Primitive Smokehouse Built By Hand - Townsends Wilderness Homestead

7 Bushcraft Skills For The Frontier - Jon Townsend and Dan Wowak

Male vs. Female Rabbits: 13 Key Differences

 Original Article

by Tom Marlowe

Most animals, or at least most mammals, have significant physical differences between the sexes. It’s easy to spot the udder on a female cow, and the sexual organs on males.

two Florida white rabbits

Most males are also significantly bigger and heavier than their female counterparts. Sometimes males have radically different colors, as is the case with many birds…

What about rabbits? How the heck do you tell a male rabbit from a female? I’ll tell you one thing right now: it isn’t easy, but nonetheless, there are several things you can do to tell one from the other. I’ll tell you all about it in this article…

What is a Male Rabbit Called?

SHTF Scavenger Tool Kit

Types of Pasta to Stockpile For Emergencies

 Original Article

by Linda Loosli

Today it’s all about the different types of pasta to stockpile for emergencies. In times of uncertainty and emergencies, it’s important to have a well-stocked pantry that can sustain you and your family. One staple food that should definitely be part of your emergency food stockpile is pasta.

As preppers, we are always looking for things for our long-term food storage that have a long shelf life. There aren’t a lot of food items that fall into this category, but dry pasta certainly does.

Not only is pasta affordable and easy to store, but it also provides a great source of carbohydrates and can be paired with a variety of ingredients. I want to share with you the different types of dry pasta that you should consider stockpiling for emergencies. How To Make Fresh Pasta From Scratch

Get This Prep Before its Illegal! FishMox Antibiotics| Canadian Prepper

Mothballs: 10 Important Facts to Know

 Original Article

By  Linda Loosli 

Are you wondering what mothballs are? For those of my older readers, you probably remember growing up witnessing your mother or grandmother using mothballs in their linens closest and several other areas of their home. Although you didn’t care too much for the odor that came with it, it was obvious that mothballs did the trick when it came to keeping pests away.

As it turns out, mothballs have several other uses that you may not have known about. But if you’re not careful when using mothballs, they can lead to some pretty dangerous side effects. Don’t be caught being one of those people! The vapors from mothballs can be a little strong, so make sure you’re prepared for that!

Prepper's Home Perimeter Defense Analysis

A Little Reality in Home Defense

 Original Article

By 

Bill White

I must confess, I get a bit concerned when I read what some preppers say about home and personal defense. I think we’ve all seen a few too many post-apocalyptic movies, where there’s no law and order, warlords’ rule their little territories, and only the fastest on the draw survive.

Can things get that bad? Yes, it has happened in other parts of the world and we’re not immune. But the chances of something like that actually happening here are slim, mostly because there are so many privately owned firearms. The criminal element where those warlords would come out of might have guns and the willingness to use them; but objective reality would force them to recognize that they aren’t the only ones with guns.

In a very real sense, a post-disaster world would be much like the Old West. Not the Old West of Hollywood, dominated by fast-draw gunslingers seeking to build their reputation. Not by criminals robbing the bank or the stagecoach. Those things are inventions of the movie industry. There is no recorded case of the fast-draw being used in the Old West and the crime rate was very low.

How to Physically Prepare for SHTF: Functional Fitness and Nutrition

Pressure Canning 101: The Most Comprehensive Guide

 Original Article

By Linda Loosli 

Some people might be intimidated by the idea of pressure canning. It seems complicated and risky. But it’s not! In fact, it’s a really simple process that is actually quite safe if you follow the proper processes. If you’ve been curious about pressure canning, or if you’ve tried it before and had a bad experience, this pressure canning 101 comprehensive guide is for you.

I always follow the guidelines from the National Center for Home Food Preservation. They’ve done extensive testing to determine the proper time that acidic foods need to be processed to make the foods safe for storage. Mark and I both took the classes to receive our Master Canner Preserver Certificates.

If you have a state extension service office in your city or county, the cost for training is minimal, and as I remember, the classes took 12 weeks. It was so fun, we met other canners who were beginners through experts who just needed to learn the updated techniques. Many of our food products have changed since grandma was canning, so most of us need to up our skills.

7 DIY CLEANERS | My Favorite Natural Cleaning Products!

DIY Household Cleaners

Original Article

The problems obtaining common household cleaners during the late scamdemic have apparently been resolved for the moment, but they could return at any time. This is where being able to make our own cleaners comes in very handy. I use all these cleaners myself and they work very well. The price is right, too.

Home Invasion: Stairwells

SHTF Remedy In A Jar

 Original Article

by ANASTASIA

Nicks and scratches may not seem like a big deal, but if you find yourself in an emergency scenario without clean water or access to medical services, these small cuts can quickly become dangerous.

One of the things I always make sure to have on me (and in various places around the house) is a first-aid balm that I make with chicory, calendula, and other herbs.

This first-aid balm can be used on just about everything: cuts, scrapes, insect bites, and even rosacea.

It acts as an anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory multi-purpose treatment that can accelerate the healing of your wounds, prevent the spread of infection, and soothe your skin.

Top 11 Budgeting Tips for Emergency Preparedness

 Original Article

By Linda Loosli 

When it comes to emergency preparedness, families often think about stocking up on food and supplies or having a plan for evacuation. But what about the financial aspect of being prepared for an emergency? Creating a budget is an important part of your plan for being prepared for anything life throws your way. Here are some budgeting tips to consider as you put your plan together for successful emergency preparedness.

Top 11 Budgeting Tips for Emergency Preparedness

$60 Waterproof Survival Kit from Walmart

Survival Kit Backpack for Two

What Happens If You Bury Fish Heads Under Your Tomato Crops

 Original Article

by REBEKAH P.

When you think of things you can bury in your garden to help improve the quality of your soil, fish heads may not be the first thing that comes to mind.

However, this is a practice that has been used for centuries in various parts of the world and can actually have some benefits for your plants.

Fish heads are an excellent source of nutrients for plants, and burying them under tomato plants can give the plants a much-needed boost.

Stockpiling for Emergencies

50 Survival TV Shows to Inspire Your Family to Prepare

 Original Article

By Tom Marlowe

If you are just getting started in prepping, you have already learned that your list of tasks and chores never ends. There’s always something to do, something to learn, and something that can be improved.

Sometimes that mountain seems impossible to climb, and that makes it easy to give up before you even get started or just lose your will to persevere.

Sometimes a little bit of motivation and inspiration is all it takes to get your own prepping journey jump-started, or to reinvigorate you after a period of burnout.

Watching what other people are going through, including their successes and failures, is just the thing.

Tips for Keeping Your Home Safe

Quick Pickling Recipes & Tips: Probiotic Snacks at Your Fingertips

 Original Article

By Jacqueline

Pickling is a good way to extend the shelf life of fresh produce, especially if you want to extend the late summer/fall vegetables into the winter. Almost any vegetable can be pickled, as long as it’s fresh. And I’ve included my pickled egg recipe and a pickled ginger recipe, too.

Quick Pickling Basics

If you don’t know where to start, here are some seasonal vegetables that you can pickle:

Ideas for Your Go Bag

Preparing for Plantar Warts

Original Article

Disclaimer. I am not a licensed health practitioner. This is just another post on knowledge and understanding you might wish to acquire in advance of a disaster in case no higher care is available. As long as our society is functioning, you should leave anything more substantial than applying a Band-Aid to the professionals. No medication, including those available over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician. Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical care.


Plantar warts are like croup. Neither problem is addressed in any of my dozen off-grid medicine resources. And yet they are rather common problems. At least, I think they are. My daughter had croup. I had one plantar wart as a teen, and it apparently made quite the impression as I remember it well. I would really hate to experience one during TEOTWAWKI and be completely ignorant of how to treat it.

Plantar warts occur on the soles of the feet (known as the plantar) and are caused by the same virus that causes other warts. While most warts, including plantar warts, will eventually resolve on their own without treatment, this isn't always the case. Plantar warts can make walking incredibly painful at best, and the persistent ones can cause lasting damage if not treated.

What I Carry In My Vehicle

Oven Broken? Using a Crock-Pot to Bake Bread

Original Article

One of the more interesting ideas I encountered this summer was the concept of using a crock-pot instead of an oven for baking. Most of the time we use a crock-pot to start a meal in the morning before work so that dinner is ready when we get home, or just because the day is busy and time for meal prep later is minimal. Of course, a lot of time in the summer we don’t want to heat up the kitchen, so that’s the primary driver behind choosing to use a crock-pot.

However, with rising energy costs, some might be interested in saving money by slow cooking their baked goods instead of firing up the oven, while others just want to be good citizens and reduce the load on the overtaxed power grid (which probably wouldn’t be quite so overtaxed under better management and the use of fossil fuels, but I digress). And then, in an era where replacing a broken oven could take weeks or months, having a safe alternative for indoor baking is always a good idea.

Tying Knots

6 keys to help develop a prepper mindset

 Original Article

BY JAMES L

As we watch current events unfold, I see the calls from the prepper community to become more diligent to being prepared. Stock up on food and water, get out of debt. Get your preps in order, etc. And these suggestions are not wrong. I completely subscribe to them and promote them as well. But this is only part of what you should be doing to prepare.

In addition to physically preparing, you need to be mentally preparing yourself for what could come. The first step to preparedness is having the right mindset. Hopefully you have already begun to develop it. If not, here are some tips to help you get you and your family mentally prepared for potential disasters.

Land Navigation

Here’s Why You Should Keep Activated Charcoal In Your Survival Pack

 Original Article

by Bob Rodgers

Activated charcoal has been scientifically proven to treat poisonings, so keep some on hand at home or in your survival backpack. Let’s look more into how you can use activated charcoal during an emergency.

Imagine this; it’s been a few days since you got lost in the wilderness. You’ve been living off the land as much as possible to stretch out your supplies as you await rescue or seek assistance. While your intentions were good, your skill in identifying edible plants was not.

Something you ate is interfering with your inside organs. At best, you may be experiencing severe gas. At worst, you may have unintentionally consumed some sort of poison.

If you’re forced to take care of yourself during a natural disaster, if you find yourself in a post-apocalyptic world, or become hopelessly lost in the woods, safe food and drinking water are likely to be scarce.

Consuming contaminated food and liquids can cause nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach discomfort. So what can you do when there isn’t a doctor or a hospital nearby?

Here’s where activated charcoal comes into play.

4 Ways to Make Water Safe to Drink after a Disaster

When Tap Water Can Kill: How to Survive a Boil Water Notice

 Original Article

By The Survival Mom

It’s a scenario that’s becoming all too common. U.S. cities under boil water notices.

In Jackson, the capital city of the U.S. state of Mississippi, residents suffer from what The Washington Post calls “a water crisis of unparalleled scale.” And even as the most pressing issues are fixed, a domino chain of lingering issues threatens to return them to their present circumstances yet again.

And who can forget Flint, Michigan?

In fact, as of August 17, 2022, there are 58 records of boil notices issued around the country just for the month of August. That’s just over half the month.

Friends, it can happen to you. It can happen to me. We must be ready for undrinkable tap water BEFORE we’re faced with it.

This article aims to do just that, help you better prepare for if your community receives a boil alert.

Needed Medical Supplies for Long Term Care and Prepping

These 16 Homestead Practices are Downright Dangerous

 Original Article

by Tom Marlowe

Most of us want to live on a homestead in order to get away from the hustle, bustle, and dangers of life that are associated with living in the thick of society. But, it isn’t all fluffy clouds on an impossibly blue sky when you live on a homestead.

Homesteads are usually hard-working environments with a lot going on, including large and powerful animals, hazardous chemicals, power tools, and heavy machinery.

It is no place for the foolish or the complacent, and the dangers are made worse by bad practices.

In this article, we will be discussing 16 such practices on the homestead that are downright dangerous.

If you or anyone else you know engages in these practices, you should double your caution. Watch your back, step lightly and let’s get going.

Home Can Be the Most Dangerous Place of All

Survival- Fire Steel for Beginners- Tips & Tricks

What Exactly Is Flint And Steel?

 Original Article

By Perrin Adams

If you’re into traditional outdoor living or even a modern-day prepper looking for ways to improve a bug-out bag you have more than likely heard of flint and steel.

For everyone else, if modern heating conveniences ever get disrupted then this will be one of the ways you’ll start a fire for heat.

Flint and steel are two separate components that are traditionally used together to start fires. Flint is a rock that is struck with a steel striker to generate sparks that can be caught using tinder.

Historically, flint has been mined by various indigenous tribes all across North America and Europe. They used it for various tools as shards of flint can be quite sharp to the touch.

Flintknapping is still a practice today and is commonly how tools were created. It is a labor-intensive love that can leave the “knapper” with bleeding hands and sore fingers.

But how did flint and steel become known for their fire-starting capabilities? How does striking one thing against another cause the energy needed to ignite tinder?

Keep reading and learn a little bit more about the relationship between flint and steel.

How Does Flint And Steel Cause Sparks?

How to Make a Dakota Fire Pit: Critical Skill Post Disaster

How to Build a Modular Concrete Block Fire Pit

 Original Article

written by Derrick James

My concrete block fire pit is a serious pit. I designed it for performance. I can do everything with this pit from enjoying a simple evening fire to using it as a big outdoor cook station. I wanted a fire pit that could do whatever I needed it to do. Those needs vary.

Concrete blocks are great. They’re cheap and versatile. I’ve made a concrete block raised bed garden before, and plenty of people have also used them for fire pits.

There are plenty of fire pit options available. You can buy the Solo Stove fire pit that many people like or you can just assemble some rocks in a circle. That has worked for centuries. I wanted something more.

I have cooked over a Solo Stove and over a fire in a ring of rocks. Both can be done, but I wanted a better blend between a fire pit and an outdoor cook station. I wanted options.

Not finding any fire pit close to what I wanted on the commercial market, I decided to design my own fire pit. One big, modular concrete block fire pit.

Concrete blocks are like Legos for men. They come in different shapes and sizes and can be stacked in various ways for many different projects beyond basic building construction. Given that they are rugged and fire proof, they are an obvious choice to build a custom fire pit.

Pantry Storage Shelves with 1000 Can Food Rotation

Where and how to store your supplies and gear

 Original Article

By Bob Rodgers

I’ve managed to gather a lot of supplies and gear over the years, and just like many preppers out there, I had to figure out ways to store my stuff without letting anything go to waste. I had the opportunity to help many of my friends with their survival supply storage problems, and I decided to write this article to share some good practices.

Preparing for a potential emergency is expensive and time-consuming, and without a doubt, you should have supplies to last you a long time. No matter where you live, there’s always the risk of something happening that will jeopardize the integrity of your supplies. No matter how well you plan, you can never be fully prepared for the unexpected.

Basic storage recommendations

Chicken run build

How to Build a Chicken Run

 Original Article

By Timi Schmidt

Are you a beginner chicken owner?  Or just looking for a safe way to allow your chicken to get that much-needed roaming time? Whichever category you belong to, this article will help you in creating a chicken run from scratch – no need to spend a fortune in getting the experts involved! This step-by-step guide by Wire Fence will help you achieve an easy and practical chicken run using only a couple of tools. So let’s get started!

You might also enjoy: Raising Chickens: It Really CAN Be All It’s Cracked Up to Be

What you’ll need to build a chicken run: 

Tools: 

• Shovel
• Hammer
• Wire Cutters
• Saw
• Nails/Screws

Materials:

• Wooden fence posts
• Chicken wire
• Staples/Cable ties
• Shade netting (optional)
• Wooden Planks.

Grow Your Own Soap | Self Sufficient Gardening | Soap Plant

11 Plants You Can Use As Soap

Original Article

By Tricia Drevets

Maybe you’re looking for an environmentally-friendly and economical alternative to store-bought soap. Or perhaps you want to know how to maintain hygiene while camping or in a survival situation. Either way, you can benefit from learning about the many plants you can use as soap.

Using plants for cleansing is nothing new. Historians have found evidence that the ancient Egyptians bathed with soaps made from plants along with animal and vegetable oils. Native Americans also used a variety of plants as soap when they washed.

And the good news is that it is surprisingly easy to create soap with plants. The secret is a naturally-occurring compound called saponin in many plants, especially those with waxy cuticles.

When you chop up plants that contain saponin and rub the pieces in your hands with water, you can create a lather. This article will share some of the most common plants in the U.S. that contain saponin and how to use them as a soap substitute.